carraher

We have a 10:30AM flight booked to JFK. Wife is always anxious about getting to airport extra early. Is this place suitable for our last day in Ireland given that fact or should we chance it and stay a bit further out but closer to the action in town? TIA

lwildernorva

Although I think you could stay in Dublin--there isn't a whole lot going on in the vicinity of the airport--measure what you do by my most recent experience flying from DUB to PHL on Sunday, 4/24. I got to the airport exactly two hours before my flight departure. I had to check a bag but BA Silver status got me into the priority check-in lane so I didn't spend a lot of time there or during boarding since I skipped the waiting line. Nevertheless, given the need to do US pre-clearance (something else in my equation that was sped up, this time by Global Entry), which means completing a Customs card and two security checks, one to get to the gates, one to get through pre-clearance, I was in constant motion, with my only deviation a one-minute toilet stop, and just barely boarded the plane in time before closing (bypassing a dwindling waiting line since I'd already missed the initial boarding call) with the plane taking off no more than 25 minutes later. For your anxious wife, while you're standing in line at pre-clearance, monitors with information on flights departing after you've cleared Customs will show that certain upcoming flights have already closed or are approaching closing for departure.

I wouldn't consider getting to the airport any later than 7:45 a.m. Then factor in whether you're headed to the airport on a busy weekday or a quiet weekend. I did the trip in about 25 minutes on the Sunday of my departure, but that was with virtually no traffic on the streets in the early morning (and since you mentioned a Radisson property, I was staying at the Radisson Blu Royal). To be safe, you'd probably want to leave for the airport by 7 a.m. on a weekday. If you're staying someplace where you'll need to call a cab--the Royal has a taxi stand out front--then throw that into your calculation.

I'd still rather be in the city my last night in Ireland so I'd travel to the airport in the morning. But I guarantee you you'll probably hear an "I told you so" or two if you leave any later than 7 a.m. for a 10:30 a.m. flight. If you stay by the airport, then consider a cab ride over to the small town of Malahide where there are a couple of pubs and decent restaurants and a nice coastal boardwalk that will let you walk off dinner.

Genius1

I've just posted my review of the Radisson Blu Dublin Airport in my latest trip report:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trip-...ss-hawaii.html

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Stayed here last week between flights. It is the closest hotel to the terminal building, but at least at T1 there were no noticeable signs directing one to hotel shuttles. It was a pleasant evening so I decided to walk down to the hotel which took about 15-minutes going past the newer terminal and along the roadway. Check-in was profunctory and as a Gold elite I didn't receive any special upgrade getting a room pretty much as illustrated in Genius1's report. However, it turned out my room had no power other than the main light at the entry hall and in the bathroom. The TV would not turn on and the kettle failed to light up. None of the bedside lights turned on and when I tried to charge my iPhone, no power came through the cable. Clearly something was wrong so I called the front desk. After about 10-minutes someone arrived to confirm what I had reported. She said she'd have to check with maintenance and should have the power back shortly. A half-hour later and getting on to 9:30p I called the front desk again, but there was no answer. By now I felt this required a visit to reception and basically move rooms. I packed up my things to move to a new room.

To say the least, I was not impressed by how this was handled that evening. Next morning at check-out I explained why I handed over key cards to two rooms and the clerk apologized and deducted 15% from my room charge. I have yet to receive the usual survey.

So it's convenient but unless you don't have an early flight but want to stay at the airport (and can find the shuttle stop) try the newer Crowne Plaza or Holiday Inn Express (I've done both in the past) or the Hilton.

soy

Not sure the Hilton or HI Ex are much better. I've stayed at most all the DUB airport hotels and they all have their pluses and minus's. If I was a tourist, I think I would stay in the city proper unless I was departing before 8am (should only take 30min to get to the airport in the morning), but if I was to stay near the airport there is a lot to be said for the Radisson (or Maldron) since both are walking distance.
Disclaimer - I struggle to find good use of Radisson points, and this works out ok for me